Nova Scotia – Page 19 – Just An East Coast Girl

All Over The World

I have been so fortunate, so blessed and I’m truly thankful to have travelled to some really interesting and beautiful places in December over the last few years. I was thinking about that this weekend …missing some places, events, people.

The World celebrates Christmas! They light things up. It is a special time of year…

Here are just a few places I’ve been thinking about…

Bangkok, Thailand

Phuket, Thailand

Shanghai, China

Beijing, China

Of course Shenyang, China

Seoul, South Korea

And I can’t forget Brazil…

Wow, it was fun to look back a bit…

All these places are lovely, I am so happy I’ve been there…there are so many more places to see. I often said I would love to spend some time in New York City in December but then there’s places closer to home…maybe Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara on the Lake. I have been to all these but not at Christmas time. BUT no matter where we are or where we travel, one very special place this time of year will ALWAYS be HOME!

Just hanging out in the kitchen

Today seemed like a good day just to be hanging out in the kitchen. It’s Saturday and it’s the first Saturday in December which means that Christmas Daddies is on television. ( Normally it’s on the first Sunday but this year is the first year for the new day Saturday) I REALLY enjoy watching this telethon. BUT, to be honest sitting all day…during the daytime in front of the TV doesn’t thrill me so I had an idea…

I can just hang out in my kitchen all day with the TV on and I can do my Christmas baking. Why not? It’s PERFECT!

And to start, well before I started Christmas baking…a new baked treat for Abby girl.

She was thrilled and VERY polite when I gave her the whole plate. One at a time was fine with her, no need to devour them all at one.

And then it was on to the really fun stuff. Cranberry Bliss Bars, Peppermint Bark, Almond Bark, Pecan Bark, Peppermint Patties and Peanut Butter balls. And poor David is not here to sample…he’s off exploring Charleston, SC today before he heads home on Monday.

Poor David…he’s missing out… haha

And…6 hours or so later…my table looks like The Land of Sweets…Who doesn’t love tasty treats at Christmas. These are the special ones, reserved only for Christmas time.

And the plus to all day baking in my kitchen, I saw the whole Christmas Daddies program with the grand total of over $410,000. pledged to go to make Christmas special for children in the Maritimes!!!

East Coast Brew

I love coffee. The first cup of the day is my favourite but a nice coffee in the evening relaxing is great too, oh and I can’t forget mid afternoon…ok ok, I just plain like coffee, too much really.

With all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials out there online, I came across another special…

The East Coast Coffee Company had a great promotion. Wait, what? East Coast Coffee! I was curious. Where is this company from and what is their coffee like? So I ordered it!

I did a little research and the East Coast Coffee Company is from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. How cool!

Ecologically friendly, Kosher, Biodegradable, 100% Organic and Fair Trade, East Coast Coffees are high-grown specialty grade Arabica beans. Located in Eastern Canada on a rugged coastal port city, the service and traditions shine through in the brew! Whether you’re from here, or just long for the taste of the Maritimes, it’s always a little taste of Home.When you order East Coast coffee, it is delivered right to your door from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

I am really impressed …This East Coast Girl is lovin’ East Coast Coffee!

More than just trees from Lunenburg County

It’s Christmas Season and in Lunenburg County it means Christmas trees and wreaths. The smell of balsam fir delivered to homes all over the world.

One farm in particular…DeLong Farms and owners James(Jimmy) & Tina DeLong are very busy this time of year sending a little bit of Lunenburg County to various regions around the world.

Unfortunately I decorate too early for a real tree, but…I make sure I have a real wreath or two… love the smell (reminds me of my childhood)

And…there’s MORE than trees this time of year….

It’s OFFICIALLY Lobster Season. Atlantic Canadian Lobster is considered one of the world’s premier seafoods and is consistently in high demand. Canada currently supplies more than half of the world’s supply of hard-shelled Atlantic Lobster. The very nature of the harvest, where seasonal and regional fisheries dictate a fluctuating supply, means that there are times of the year when the product is a little bit harder to source than others. The lobster season in Atlantic Canada peaks twice year, once in the spring (April-June) and another now in December.

( Photos courtesy of Tourism Nova Scotia) 12314201_10153272132878519_7298897027833694956_o 11224416_10153266611133519_1002757909682827650_n fmshikujplghmjozhyd8

My favourite time of year to eat Lobster is December, but really I love it and will have it anytime. So these days as we are all thinking Christmas, some of the local boys are out Lobster fishing. Stay safe guys!

I just love where we live!

Folklore from days of old…it’s a childhood fantasy land

Father Christmas often appears as a large man, often around seventy years old. He is dressed in a red suit trimmed with white fur, often girdled with a wide black belt, a matching hat or hood, often long and floppy in nature, and dark boots. Often he carries a large brown sack filled with toys on his back. It has been said that the red suit only appeared after the Coca Cola company started an advertising campaign depicting a red suited Father Christmas in the 1930s.

The Father Christmas Festival in Mahone Bay is this weekend and next, and I love all the different Father Christmas figurines.

David having a little chat with Norman the Gnome
It has become a somewhat new tradition for me to visit Mahone Bay for this festival and…pick up my new Amos pewter ornament. Living away makes you really appreciate local and what your community and neighbouring communities offer. I love Amos pewter things and have decided a few years ago to collect these special ornaments.

Each year the Amos Pewter company create a new collector ornament. This year is the Winter Blossom. Each has a lovely inscription about the ornament …” There is a beauty in the cycle of the changing seasons. We wonder at the uniqueness of each softly falling snowflake, joining with others to blanket the earthen a magical whiteness. As the days become longer and warmer, each melting snowflake helps to foster new life that grows, transforms and ultimately fills summer with bursts of blossoms and butterflies. Change is the hope for newness and transformation. Nourish your dreams you embrace the changes in life’s seasons.”

For the last few years at the festival the image of Father Christmas has changed. This year’s 2015 “signature” Father Christmas is Della Robia. He has a gentle face and an Old World European look.

And a new feature this year… The Nutcracker Fantasy. It was my favourite. The creativity and the detail. I am AMAZED that every year there is something new that tops the year before. I could spend hours wandering around here…

And David’s favourite…

Mahone Bay is definitely ready for Christmas and after this weekend with all the specials my mood is very festive, It really is a wonderful time of the year!

Who doesn’t love a parade complete with fireworks

The town of Bridgewater kicks off the Christmas season with it’s annual parade and fireworks! I just love this tradition…even on a cool rainy evening.

Such a wonderful evening. Thank you Town of Bridgewater for an awesome event!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…with Pirates!

Have you ever tasted roasted chestnuts? They are good. Not as good as one would think listening to the famous song…”chestnuts roasting on an open fire jack frost nipping at your nose, yule tide carols being sung by a choir…” I love that song and this time of year! It’s about a month til Christmas now and it is when all kinds of wonderful, special things happen around town.

Tonight…in Lunenburg, NS, the lighting of the fishing vessels down on the waterfront. Hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, a few of the shops open later, Christmas music playing, carollers singing …and PIRATES!!! I didn’t expect pirates! We enjoyed a nice dinner ( our favourite apps at our favourite place) ahh…it’s a great start to the weekend!

better rain than snow

Looking out my window this Sunday morning. Better rain than snow…

TRUTH

But…oh so much rain. Rain for days….

A gift for friends

Such an important annual tradition!

In December 6, 1917 a huge explosion rocked Halifax.

The SS Mont Blanc, a French cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited the cargo causing a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed the Richmond district of Halifax. About 2000 people were killed by debris, fires, and collapsed buildings, and another 9000 were injured. A huge disaster for Nova Scotia and it’s capital Halifax.

South of the border in Boston authorities learned of the disaster via telegraph, and quickly organized and dispatched a relief train. A winter blizzard following the explosion delayed the train, which finally arrived in the early morning on December 8, and immediately began distributing food, water, and medical supplies. Numerous personnel on the train were able to relieve the Nova Scotia medical staff, most of whom had worked without rest since the explosion occurred.

In 1918, Halifax sent a Christmas tree to the city of Boston, A gift, a thank you , a remembrance for all the help that the city of Boston provided immediately after the disaster.

In 1971 this gift of a Christmas tree was revived by the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers and later taken over by the NS government. Knowing the symbolic importance the tree represents to both cities, there are specific guidelines for selecting the tree. It must be a balsam fir, white or red spruce that is 40 -50 feet tall with a beautiful green color. The trees are often chosen from open land privately owned by local ordinary people. People that love the tradition of this gift and are truly honoured that “their tree” for Nova Scotia’s gift to Boston.

This year’s tree was cut TODAY! This morning at 10:30. And then tomorrow there will be a special send off with love and special wishes from Grand Parade square in Halifax

Bill and Andrea MacEachern of Lorne, Pictou Co. are the donors of the 49foot White Spruce that is approximately 72 years old. The tree will be delivered to Boston city to it’s place at the Boston Commons to be lit at the tree lighting ceremony on December 3.

Merry Christmas Boston…and THANK YOU!

Old Town, Off roading and Oxner’s Beach

Today was so great! Usually Monday is a slow start. lots of coffee and cleaning. Today I was off and running…meeting my friend for a day of shopping and adventure. You just never know when we’re together. It’s so much fun!

First stop, West LaHave and a peak at her new home with the most awesome view of the water. I could sit there for coffee everyday. Love the wharf and buoy’s hanging…

Then off roading with faithful Bessie on the back roads to Old Town Lunenburg to browse the shops and a bite to eat. We both love shopping and are a dangerous combination. Lunenburg is a great spot to pick up special one of a kind Christmas gifts and I will definitely be stopping back for a few things.

Wanda is so creative and wanted to show me where her creativity begins…

Haha, lots of fun pics 🙂

A new beach for me…Oxner’s beach to pick up some drift wood and interesting things. Lots of inspiration to create!! What a great day, a PERFECT start to the week. And only one thing missing…

LONG…. wǒmen xiǎngniàn nǐ